Comic Reviews For The Week Of 10/10/13
Written by: Laura Hong-Tuason, CC2K Comics Editor
Vertigo, Image, and DC Comics? CC2K’s got them all here in this week of reviews!
Trillium #3
Writer/Illustrator: Jeff Lemire
Trillium tags itself as “The Last Love Story Ever Told” between Nika (of the year 3797) and William (of 1921). In the last issue, we were left with Nika and William finally crossing paths and parting ways almost as soon they had met. I was excited to see what would happen next and expected #3 to fill in some of the many mysteries still looming overhead. If you had high expectations like me, this issue will disappoint you. It’s all fluff with no substance.
In this issue, the bio virus known as the caul has spread to the colony Nika and the last of the human race have inhabited. Their last chance of survival is to infiltrate the temple of the native aliens nearby and retrieve the trillium flowers that hold the potential for a cure by force. Nika, believing in diplomacy and that the temple is a kind of time machine, tries to stop her people. Meanwhile William, back in 1921, is delirious and tries to open the door to the temple from his end in search of Nika. Then some stuff happens that makes you wish you hadn’t read it because it didn’t tell you anything new.
You see, the story presented could have been told in half the time, leaving room for more important things to be said. I honestly believe if you skipped this issue altogether, it’d be like you never missed a thing. I also disliked the fact that I had to keep rotating the book to read the story. I understood Lemire was simultaneously showing what was happening with Nika and William, but it was insanely annoying and confusing. Trillium still holds much potential, but Lemire did not meet his usual bar of making every word and panel count. Maybe in the next issue!
2.0 out of 5.0
Constantine #7
Writer: Ray Fawkes
Illustrator: Szymon Kudranski
Constantine has messed up. Very badly. In this issue, the Cult of the Cold Flame has stolen all his magical and powerful artifacts he thought he had cleverly kept hidden. They extract the powers from within the artifacts, splitting it three ways between Tanarak, Mister E, and Sargon, which now makes them strong enough to kill poor Constantine. And then like Trillium, nothing of importance happens. Well, unless you count the Cult of the Cold Flame wreaking havoc for most of the pages and Fawkes namedropping all these characters affiliated with magic everywhere. I get the point! Shits goings down! There’s also an omniscient narrator that throws off the entire story. It was odd and I’m thinking it’s not my day to read comics.
The only thing of interest though is what happens at the end. I won’t tell you what it is, but I will tell you it will make you go, “Uh… what the hell just happened?!” Definitely check out the issue if you’re a Constantine fan, but it’s not one of Fawke’s best.
2.0 out of 5.0
Rat Queens #1
Writer: Kurtis Wiebe
Illustrator: Roc Upchurch
Rat Queens actually came out a few weeks back, but I’ve been meaning to write about it. It is a very fun and adventurous book, reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons. Now I don’t play D&D, but I get the gist of it and I’m sure you do too. Think of a land of elves, goblins, dwarves and the like and of slaying, quests, violence and loot! Yes, that is the world of Rat Queens!
The story is light and humorous, following a ragtag team of mercenaries who call themselves the Rat Queens. The team consists of Hannah, Dee, Violet, and Betty. In this first issue, they and a bunch of other mercenary teams (such as the Four Daves and Brother Ponies) have been tasked with different quests as punishment for disrupting the town they have been paid to protect. As they all venture out on their quests, a majority of which are purposely silly, they run into an unexpected problem: Some dark and mysterious group is upon them and killing mercenaries. Oh my!
Overall, Rat Queens #1 is off to a good start. It’s filled with a bunch of jokes and it is anything but serious. The characters are delightful and entertaining in each of their own ways. They seem to have no regard at all at the matter at hand, calmly taking down anything that comes their way. The art is also amazing and perfectly fits the time and setting the story takes place in. I may have to get the next issue!
4.0 out of 5.0